It started with a step. The lights came on, illuminating the large ballroom, the open dance floor with the raised stage; it was upon the stage that first step happened, the young woman walking out of the shadows and into the light. A blood red Chinese dress clung to her body, slinking with every step she took, long black hair cascading down her slender black and framing a youthful face; she seemed to glide across the floor until finally reaching the microphone stand waiting for her near the front of the stage and she reached out with slender fingers, wrapping them around it, seeming almost to stroke the stand delicately, moving upwards until they clasped the microphone itself. A second body moved and a man in a simple enough suit came into view, taking his spot in the back as he took a seat behind the young lady and lifted a guitar; he caressed it and seemed to wait, hesitating in the first note until a sign from her, a note to start. She gave none at first, waiting herself for a second, a moment, then suddenly and subtly giving a nod. The man smiled and started to play, slow and gentle, and she leaned into the microphone, closing her eyes as she began, "When your legs don't work like they used to before, and I can't sweep you off of your feet..."
The first couple slipped in soon after; he came in from the left, the teenager looking quite handsome in his tuxedo if not more than a little uncertain and uncomfortable, his long hair tied behind him in a ponytail and pulled away from his face. She came from the right, a beauty in a lovely rose gown that seemed to accent and draw attention to every curve and dip of her body; her eyes met his and two sets of brown simply stared into each other, neither looking away, never blinking as they approached on another. It was obvious from that moment on that there was no one to the other but each other and their hands met; he pulled her to him and a light blush colored her face but he smiled and so did she as he began to try leading. Try; each step he took, movement he made, was awkward and uncertain, part fearful of hurting her and part not knowing how to do this quite well. She chuckled as a frown fell over his face and she drew closer to him, leaning up to kiss him gently upon the lips and whisper to him "It's okay Tommy, let me" before pulling him along and taking the lead instead. She was grace and he seemed mesmerized by her, the way her body moved, the way she swayed and each step seemed all too easy for her. Tommy followed his love, his Kimberly, and watched only her as the woman on the stage continued to sing, "So honey now, take me into your loving arms, kiss me under the light of a thousand stars, place your head on my beating heart..."
The second couple soon entered the picture but together, not apart like the first; the man was excited, looking all together out of place in his own clothes, a white buttoned shirt and vest, a black coattail jacket, a white bowtie. He still had a red strip of cloth tied around his head but his hair had been tamed, tied back, controlled; he looked uncomfortable yet he was smiling, grinning, and it all for her. His companion; a gorgeous woman with hair as red as fire, steel blue eyes on him, a smile gracing her lovely features as well. Her own clothing consisted of a slinky black dress, showing far more skin than perhaps needed, yet his gaze seemed to be worth it, though all concerned knew it was not so much for any sort of interest in a bodily nature. To him she could be wearing snow clothes and still he would look at her the same, with glee and happiness to be there with her. Even the monkey suit was tolerable when he pulled her onto the dance floor with him and started to move with her, letting her lead almost immediately; a hunter he may be, a fighter he could be, but a dancer? The man tried, somewhat forceful in his own movements, almost hurting her but she seemed to more than stubborn enough to keep him on track, seeming to be trying to hold back a chuckle at the way he tried like a child to do his best, to do what was normal, yet failed so much. Yet no matter how much Cole may fail Alexandra seemed to only look at him with love and care, leading the dancing with no less grace or ease than Kim did; from her spot on the stage the woman sung, " 'Cause honey, your soul could never grow old, it's evergreen, and baby, your smile's forever in my mind and memory, I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways..."
The third, the final couple; they too arrived as a pair, they too moved to the stage together, yet they moved as one. The man was dressed strange compared to the others, a white garb with a metallic purple sash and gold sort of belt around his waist, and he alone did not seem to have his hair pulled back, silver framing a far younger face that he truly was, dark brown hair brushing over his skin and to his shoulders; he held his dance partner's hand gently in one hand, leading her out, and silver-blue eyes stared into brown, never leaving hers, never wanting to. She too wore clothes different, a simple enough white dress and slightly dettached sleeves, the strap of her dress, as well as the garland around her head and her waist, all consisting of the same sort of white and blue flowers, long wavy brown hair fluttering about as he spun her gently into her arms, watching her blush, stare at him, only to smile as she saw the smile on his face. They were a knight and his princess, and every movement he made was not only as a warrior, as a knight, but practiced as a lover, as a man; he led every step, pulling her along with a gentleness only found in holding in your hands the touch of someone so precious, a firmness found only in knowing exactly what you were doing. And every step she seconded his, trusting in him, completely and utterly, gazing upon him as if they were the only one dancing, the only people in eternity; there was no hesitation, no reason for such, in her gaze and he gazed back at her with the same. One hand slipped to her side, allowing hers to go to the back of his neck, and the two swayed and moved as one across the floor, not quite interrupting the others but close to the other two as well. But to Merrick and Princess Shayla who else could possibly exist, the only other existence being the sound of the voice musing sweetly, "So, baby, now, take me into your loving arms..."
The three danced along the dance floor to the beat of the song, seeming to all be in their own little worlds; the graceful gymnast and her beloved martial artist, the good-hearted panda and her hyperactive lion, the lovely princess and her loyal knight. Each had their own movements, their own rhythms, yet all seemed to managed to match to the girl and her singing. One more was there, not with his own though his own blue gaze was not upon any girl, or boy, upon the dance floor; they were trained upon the one upon the stage, the way she smiled, the way she swayed slightly with the music as she watched the couples melt together under the influence of the song. She looked so content, so utterly happy, and he allowed himself a soft sigh and an even softer smile as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his black pants before having to remove one once more simply to push back up his glasses. To him she was just so lovely, just so completely beautiful, and the music made him wish to pull her along, to dance with her as well, to pull her close and hold her in his arms like the rest of them. He wanted to be with her like the others were with their beloveds but there he was, off to the side, simply watching as she sang for them, seeming only too content doing so, as if she did not need to have him with her to have a good time. Though of course that could easily be true; he wasn't really much. Yet she always had seemed happy to see him...
"Hey," said a voice and he turned his head to see a familiar face, one he had more than once thought had tried to take her from him; the other male motioned with his head towards the stage, not saying anything else.
The boy didn't understand and the man rolled his eyes some before grabbing him and pushing him towards the stage, "Go."
That much was at least a bit more clear and he blinked for a moment then rushed up to the stage.
She continued to sing until she felt a hand around her wrist and she turned her gaze to look at him, the bespectacled boy pulling her away from the microphone and for a moment there was no voice to sing until another girl took over, strumming her own guitar and smiling as she continued the rest of the song. Tsuki, the displaced singer, was dragged along onto the dance floor by Billy and the genius tried his best to dance with her. He slipped a few times, nearly stepped on her feet, and she ended up chuckling a bit before taking his hand in hers and putting a hand to his waist, "I'll lead, silly..." And much like Kim and Alexandra she pulled him along, letting him simply follow her lead.
"That maybe we found love right where we are..."
Kim and Tommy slid past hand in hand, forever the couple who fell in love in a glance.
"Oh, baby, we found love right where we are..."
Cole twirled Alexandra and listened to her laugh, remaining the couple who fell in love like they were meant to be.
"And we found love..."
Merrick and Shayla danced with all the understanding of ages, eternally the couple who had loved each other through everything.
"...right where we are..."
Tsuki drew close to Billy and brushed away some of his blonde hair from his face before leaning up and kissing him, continuing to be the couple who loved one another like there could be no other...